


It goes beyond our bond

by ariay



Category: Fate/stay night & Related Fandoms, 僕のヒーローアカデミア | Boku no Hero Academia | My Hero Academia
Genre: Alternate Universe, Character Death, Cuddling & Snuggling, F/M, Family Issues, Fate Series AU, Heroic Spirit!Todoroki, M/M, Magic, Master!Yaoyorozu, Mentions of Slavery, Mentions of War, Mild Graphic Violence, OOC, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Protectiveness, possible smut in the future
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-03-25
Updated: 2018-03-25
Packaged: 2019-04-07 20:13:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,305
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14088783
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ariay/pseuds/ariay
Summary: Momo Yaoyorozu is chosen to participate in the 6th Holy Grail War and, after training during a good part of her life to accomplish her task, she is able to summon a very attractive and determined Heroic Spirit, who is striving for victory more than anyone else to make his wish a reality.They are both moved by external circumstances, forgetting for a moment what was their real desire.





	It goes beyond our bond

**Author's Note:**

> This story started being a Hunger Games AU kind of thing, but after that I saw [hazel0217](http://hazel0217.tumblr.com/post/165498632660/fatestay-night-au) 's amazing art! And it turned into a Fate AU… Well, not completely, since I don’t know a lot about Fate I kind of twisted the rules and world building to fit a bit more the plot I have in mind.
> 
> Therefore, if you don’t know anything about Fate, don’t worry! If you follow the series, I am sorry if this first chapter seems boring/rushed or confusing. I will try my best to portrait it fairly. 
> 
> It’s todomomo centric, but maybe some of the other partnerships could turn out to be romantic too! 
> 
> (I know they act a bit… ooc? But giving the circumstances I needed and wanted to start it that way. Also this ch. was going to be shorter but I, honestly, just couldn’t wait to write more and Momo/Todoroki’s meeting!)

_After a lot of time and struggling while trying to defeat the other Servant, he finally managed to land the final blow._

_The burned body of the woman who was fighting against him fell to the ground and dissipated after a few seconds, meaning that he was the last Servant standing on the battlefield, after the other five ones had also met their end, two of them at his hands. Blood was pooling out of some of the places where she had slashed him before, but he wasn’t able to regenerate himself at that point. He was panting heavily, tired after all those days in the Grail War and his Master wasn’t helping in the slightest, not even giving him the energy necessary to keep his form materialized correctly._

_Todoroki couldn’t wait for that to end, and for the man he had to call ‘Master’ to go to hell._

_“Good job my Servant! I guess I was wrong in underestimating your abilities. It is a shame I had to use my second Command Seal for you to get serious and use your hidden powers.” the man said smirking while waving his hand in front of him, showing now one Command Seal remaining that looked like a snake. He had got out of his refuge behind some buildings after witnessing Todoroki’s victory._

_Meanwhile, the Hero didn’t reply anything. He wanted to freeze him to death but he knew there was no way of doing it, and no point in discussing anymore now that they had won the Holy Grail War._

_The fact that a person so cruel and violent had won and now would have a wish granted by the Grail for himself was making his blood boil with anger. And the worst part of all that is that he had helped him, even if against his will._

_He should had never answered that call._

_The Hero had at least expected a noble fight, like All Might’s fights in the previous War ten years ago. But his Master had decided to end both the servants and masters, used his first Command to make Todoroki take the witnesses’ souls only to gain more power, and also the ones who had not even seen the event transpire were annihilated._

_He knew what came after that, after that Servant’s death, but decided to try and avoid that possible future. He looked at the young girl that was also a Master out of the corner of his eye, internally urging her to leave, before his Master realized..._

_“Now that you had won, there is no need to further my stay on Earth, Master” he answered at long last, keeping a stoic expression and turning away from the place where the girl was still crying for the apparent ‘death’ of her companion but holding a protective stance. She was so young Todoroki doubted if he knew that her Servant was fine in another plane of existence, where Heroic Spirits resided._

_He tried to keep the man’s attention away, and continued “You have in your possession the Holy Grail now, and any wish your heart desire can be made a reality. You should…”_

_“Stop talking” the man cut him off “There is one remaining thing you have to do. Do I need to remind you that her” he said while pointing at the little child “is a mage that can summon another Servant? You have to…”_

_“NO” Todoroki snapped, menacingly, face twisted with fury but perturbed by the idea that he still had one Command Seal to obey “the War ended and I am not your ‘familiar’ anymore, you useless coward.”_

_The Servant wanted to laugh at the look of disbelief and fear in his face. He turned around to face the female Master and ordered her with a soft expression but his voice harsh, even if his bloodied hands where the ones to kill his partner “The War had ended. Go away, leave now!”_

_He needed to get her away soon. Even if he wasn’t the one to kill her, his Master could easily overpower a child._

_Fortunately for him, she obeyed and run away, giving him a last look of pity and gratefulness after vanishing from his vision around the corner of the closest house. Deep down she understood why she had been told to run._

This is not a populated area, but there must be some people close drawn by with all the disturbance from before. She is going to be okay, _Todoroki calculated, deep in thought for a moment._

_“Now then…” he stared at his Master and took a step forward, making the other to step back._

_“Y-you can’t kill your own Master, stupid! I knew you had a lot of Independent Action the moment you were summoned, but that is not possible. No amount of will can stop my orders.” his eyes were wide with panic and Todoroki crouched and grabbed one of the spears left from the other Servant’s weapons “That is enough! My last Command…” he said while raising his hand, but was stopped midsentence by Todoroki,_

_“You are right” he smirked and even laughed a bit at the situation he found himself into._ Did I go mental after my summoning here? No, this is the only way. _"I can’t kill you, since I swore to follow, protect and fight for you. But…”_

_The sharp and gleaming end of the spear was pointing at his own heart “You can’t command me, if I am as good as dead.”_

_Before the Master had the opportunity to use the remaining Command Seal, he immediately pierced his chest, the spear going through it, while grunting and emitting a sound in pain._

_Whoever said that servants didn’t suffer when they were killed was totally wrong._

_And the fact that he had heightened senses didn’t help at all. Todoroki felt a strange dizziness and the discomfort in his chest extended to the rest of his body. From his old and new wounds blood poured non-stop and every little ragged breath he took hurt like he was inhaling a hundred of needles. The fatigue his human body had accumulated those past days came in full force and made his weakened legs tremble a bit._

_He cursed under his breath but remained standing, not wanting to give that bastard the pleasure of seeing his discomfort and suffering. He could feel the last part of his energy and his Quirk gone. The feeling of dying and going into a spiritual state again was something he had experienced only once, and it wasn’t a pleasant memory. But Todoroki kept his little smile and his eyes full of hostility. He was going to keep his pride as a Hero even after disappearing._

_“I won’t forgive you.” He spitted some blood while saying his last words with pure rage “You are a monster who disregard everyone’s lives for personal gain. Let you be cursed and your wish bring disaster to your pathetic life. Remember the name of Todoroki Shouto, when you fall into the pits of hell!”_

_He was glad that this time around, he could save at least a single life._

*  
*  
*

Waiting was never a problem for her. She never lacked patience and considered herself a very calm person, at least most of the time. But Momo’ situation was nerve-wracking, considering the weight put in her shoulders by her family to win. No amount of years preparing for the Holy Grail War had been enough to reduce her anxiety moments before entering the Hall, where she would meet all the judges of the event and the opponents she would had to face.

She didn’t even want to imagine how horrible the situation would be if she had to kill the masters and servants to achieve that. But fortunately, the rules had been re-written twenty years ago, when the families that would participate in it were chosen. Yes, killing competitors or witnesses was valid as always had been, but it was not a mandatory request needed to be the winner.

The Holy Grail War. A phenomenon and event held every decade, where seven young mages coming from selected and different families would engage in battle, all of them having achieved the magic level necessary to be a Master, so they could summon a Servant who will swore to obey, protect and fight for them. The Holy Grail was given to the winner, an omnipotent wish-granting tool.

She had trained preparing for this alone, with her grandmother and with Jirou Kyoka for years, a fellow participant and childhood friend.

Since she had been a child, Momo enjoyed reading the books that her father gifted her and using her Quirk in general, seeing it as an opening to a world of the infinite possibilities magic provided. But the practicing of it got really hard and tiring after learning she was going to be a player. Combat Magic wasn’t her strong suit but was one of the disciplines she had to learn, just in case, in order to secure her victory.

The selecting system for the families was rather simple. Most of them held at least one Quirk in their bloodline, which granted them a specific type of magic and the ability to develop the spells necessary for a summoning. That is the reason why it was hardly heard of a substitution of members for the battle or a participant who couldn’t summon a Servant, even if it was always a possibility.

And Momo prayed that wasn’t the case for her. But, after inhaling and exhaling deeply a few times to calm her nerves, she realized it was pointless to start thinking about that right away.

That’s right. The important thing right there was getting to know the other families’ members, and determine who could be a possible ally, if not a possible threat. All of them were thinking the same thing: strategizing, calculating, judging her possibilities. Everything necessary to succeed.

When the time of the meeting came, announced by the piping sound of her watch, she opened the door of the waiting room and walked a short but narrow corridor to enter The Big Hall, a room where everything related to the history of Heroes and regulations of the Grail War were archived. Two mages and one unclaimed Heroic Spirit were standing there, waiting for everyone to arrive. 

She quickly eyed the rest of the participants, and sighed in relief when she saw that familiar face. Jirou was a member of an allied house, and from their times together from before, she knew she could trust her. 

Momo didn’t recognize four of the six other participants, only hearing about Jirou and Iida family names before, but swore hearing a guy with blue eyes and a smug expression in his face murmur something about “Big Three families” while gesturing at Momo with a pretentious smirk.

That alone made her freeze for a moment. She really didn’t want to deal with that stuff at that moment. But while looking away she made eye contact with Jirou, who smiled in return, and her stiff shoulders relaxed a little.

She put his attention back to who she guessed were the mediators. It was not hard to recognize the Heroic Spirit standing there, not only because it was the one who was present when the selected families where announced years ago, but because it was one, if not the most, famous human Hero who lived almost 300 years prior: All Might. He also was once summoned as a Servant during the second time the Holy Grail War was held, 40 years ago, this being the sixth one.

“Glad to see everyone here in one piece” the female mage stated first, but earned herself a few glares and nervious glances with that statement. 

In the five wars before that one, it was common that other attendants will try to get rid of the competition even before the thing started officially. That wasn’t necessary anymore since the start was timed, but it was… a bit unnerving. Considering that someone might want to stab you in the back when you weren’t even aware of what was going on, and not even thinking about the War.

Noting this, a man who looked like he lacked a few nights of sleep decided to step right in and get started right away, presenting himself “My name is Aizawa Shouta, and together with Nemuri and All Might” he said while pointing at the woman, but not gesturing at All Might, maybe considering his status was rather known “will evaluate, judge or interfere in your performance during the 6th War. I think you all know that the regulations have changed, and some rules with them. First of all, even if you don’t have a Quirk,” a boy sporting some freckles flinched when Aizawa looked at his direction, and continued,

“you need to be able to form a contract with a Hero, be it an unclaimed Heroic Spirit you happened to come across, one you summoned before or during the battle, or a family Servant. The War is won by two, a Master and Servant bounded by three Command spells…not two masters, and no two servants. You can’t claim the prize without both present. Second, everything is allowed, but to win you have to be the last one standing. You must continue to fight until one team remains. Simple as that.”

When he finished speaking, a few moments of silence followed, leaving almost all of the seven participants a bit shocked. Was that all the explanation? It is true that the rules were known and explained between the lapses of the wars, this was only a formality and tradition held by the organizers of the events, but… they expected more, even if this time around the thing was, maybe, a bit less complicated.

The first to third Wars went unsupervised, but the later one was chaotic, causing them to rethink the position of supervisors and judges in it. The second one caused lesser damage thanks to All Might.

All of them stood quiet but expectantly waiting for more information. They wanted to hear more… about the prize. The reason why all of them stood there, what had become the most important thing and occupied their minds for the prior ten years. In the Yaoyorozu family, even more time. 

“To officially defeat an opponent,” Nemuri continued. Maybe Aizawa wasn’t a supporter of that event, despite being a judge in it, because it looked like he just wanted for that to end “you have to either make the mage unable to continue fighting, or ‘kill’ the Servant that accompanies them. They will go back to the Throne of Heroes, and not be allowed to came back and participate again in the same War.”

Momo knew that, if powerful enough and willing to form a contract, another Servant could be summoned repeatedly, again and again, during the same fight, which made some of them last days. And that was the reason why the easiest way to win, wasn’t targeting the Servant’s life, but the Master’s. Maybe that was the reason she made some quotation marks with her hands while speaking that part.

Even so, the duration of the war according to past experiences should be about a month long.

“Now the prize…” she continued with a smile, knowing that it was what would capture everyone attention in an instant. All Might, who has been silent the whole time, opened a middle sized crystal container that was behind them but nobody really paid any mind to it before that. He stepped in, holding what was known as the Holy Grail, and everyone gasped a bit at the sight of it. 

By its own, it was a simple cup of gold, maybe worth some money in the market. But it held more meaning that it seemed for the families. 

The ownership of it was granted with fame, money, but most important… one wish of any kind could be granted to them. Anything they desired could be a reality, and just the mere thought of it made everyone shake in excitement.

“Two wishes…” started saying All Might, until a voice spoke over his.

“TWO!?” the freckled boy screamed and everyone followed, even if they were interrupting All Might, of all people. He was known for being a really kind and trustworthy spirit, putting everyone in his presence at ease.

“Don’t interrupt him!” someone scolded him, and Momo recognized that person as Iida Tenya. She didn’t know him personally, but if he was from the Big Three families… Like her, and Jirou, he was rather famous. 

And known among others, a target for the other family houses who wanted to rise and gain recognition with this battle. A problem Momo and Jirou were aware they shared with him, even if Momo’s family was going through rough times at that moment.

“Two wishes. One for the Master and one for the Servant” he continued, smile permanent in his face.

If someone was feeling down about the whole deal, they definitely weren’t anymore. Everyone could see and feel how motivated the seven young mages were (this time around, the families seemed to chose their younger members as representatives, them being not even more than maybe 21 years old).

_That is a really good new rule,_ Momo pondered about it for a while.

It was a relief for all of them, because it meant that the masters and servants wouldn’t have an endless discussion about the wish. Some masters were really selfish, egoistic, and in that bond they were the ones deciding and leading them both most of the time, so they were also the ones who could keep the wish for themselves at the end of the day.

But, for a reason unknown, that new rule stated only then, didn’t inspire Momo that much when it came to her wish. Unconsciously, she might have given hers to her Servant.  
Which are the others’ wishes? Momo thought. Then she was suddenly conscious of the weight on her backpack, belonging to the few survival items she gathered and the charm her mother gave her when she was a child, with the objective of summoning her familiar, to call upon the Servant. Momo wondered which will be her Heroic Spirit’s wish.

And deep down she questioned what her real wish was as well.

“Now remember, the limits of the city you are going to, are the limits of the battlefield as well. You will all be guided to a designed spot in boundaries, and at 10PM the War will officially begin!” exclaimed All Might, still holding the Grail in view.

_10PM, perfect time!_ Momo thought relieved. That was an hour prior to when her power was at its highest point. An important part of the summoning was going to be the amount of magical energy she could canalize to form a Magical Path: a bond with the Spirit.

“Any questions now? You will have 15 minutes to prepare, and then you are being moved to your starting location.” Aizawa said.

“Yes, there, young boy!” the red haired boy had raised his hand, presented himself as ‘Eijiro from the Kirishima family’ and asked to All Might, a bit hesitant,

“It’s true that the rule about witnesses was removed? I know they said that a few years ago, but avoiding casualties should be important!” he exclaimed vigorously, and Momo unconsciously took a liking for that Master. Fights between servants could be pretty devastating, and not to be taken lightly.

The power they held was pretty amazing, both delightful and terrifying.

Basically, when the battles were held in populated cities, any witnesses had to be eliminated by them. So, the new location this time was an abandoned city, in the outskirts of a forest that was made it unreachable.

“We don’t really want to clean after your mess, and taking care of the citizens is really important to us. We don’t want to repeat the accidents in previous years.” Aizawa interrupted, a bit of irritation appearing in his expression while thinking about that “Besides, I don’t think your Heroic Spirits would like to hurt innocent people after all.”  
“He is right. And when you arrive to your assigned destination, you will see how that new rule can work just fine.” Kirishima nodded slowly to them, seemed a bit relieved with the answer, for now at least.

“Everyone, you are parting in a few minutes. Please get ready.” Nemuri suggested before stepping backwards with All Might, placing the Holy Grail in a box, and approached Aizawa to murmur something Momo couldn’t quite catch.

She sighed and grabbed her elbows, hugging herself and trying to keep her stomach from flipping with uneasiness.

“Good to see you again.” blurted Jirou at her side, startling Momo and making her turn around, then giving the mage a short hug “I kind of missed you. The months before this stuff were rough, training and all.”

Momo understood that feeling pretty well. She couldn’t help but smile at her, even if her lips turned down a bit too quickly. Jirou noticed and immediately tried to reassure her that everything will be okay. 

“I know, you are probably right. This year participants seem to be very admirable and exceptional, too! But I can’t help to worry a bit…”

“You are going to do great! Don’t put more pressure on yourself. These guys seem like something else, but stop doubting your skills…” Jirou muttered while eyeing the rest. Some of them were talking among themselves, some of them in a friendly way, but there was the blonde mage with blue eyes that looked like he wanted to cause a bit of trouble, for the way he was prying at Kirishima and the freckled guy. “Well, I don’t know about that one though”

“It is going to be very challenging for sure…” Momo started considering the upcoming events, while something suddenly popped in Jirou’s mind.

“Now that I think about it, do you know what Spirit you are summoning? Have you already done the ritual?” she asked eagerly.

Momo again could feel the little weight of the treasured pendant she carried, feeling the strong concentration of power it held even when inactive. “I don’t know, and I haven’t really… I have run some tests, but it could be anyone. I just hope I’m not just stumbling blindly through this, alone. What about you?”

Jirou hummed a bit while recalling what had happened in her case “While practicing some spells, I could get a connection with a Hero, it showed images of a boy, an apparently desolated town, and electricity type of witchcraft. But with that, I couldn’t find the guy. And I looked through every history book in our old town library!” she pulled at her ears, a habit it showed when frustrated “Maybe he wasn’t the ‘known and famous hero’ type.” 

Momo tried to recall what she knew about heroes, but nothing came to her mind, even so “That is interesting and a good strategy. An unknown Servant to the others.”

Jirou considered that for a moment “Well, you are ri-“ her friend was interrupted by the call of the supervisors, who were taking two members each and guiding them through some hallways across the Hall. “Time is over already!?” Jirou looked a bit disappointed and grabbed Momo’s hand, a ‘good luck’ escaping her lips.

The two ignored for now the fact that only one of them, if the odds were in their favor, will remain victorious. 

“I will meet you there” Momo said, smiling and squeezing her hand quickly before going over to All Might, who had called her and the green haired guy’ name, Midoriya Izuku apparently. 

She wished she had more time to talk, but she didn’t wanted to make the mediators angry and she was really looking forward to maybe exchange a few words with the other participant she didn’t have the opportunity to talk to, and of course, that famous Heroic Spirit.

Jirou ran in the opposite direction, following Iida, Nemuri and a competitor she hadn’t registered before. She didn’t seem to want to stand out a lot but, before leaving, she made sure to give a last glance at the rest and Momo, a wicked grin on her face while doing so.

The blue-eyed guy and Kirishima followed Aizawa, who just looked done with all of that while listening to their bickering and decided to slap the back of their necks, while throwing a little threat about ‘being disqualified before time’, and then resuming his walking through another door in the Hall.

*  
*  
*

The transportation prepared to carry them to their designated starting areas was a van with polarized windows, that not only didn’t allow a person to see the inside of it, but it also restricted Momo and Midoriya’s vision greatly, probably to keep them from observing the surroundings and preserve the secrecy of their respecting locations in the battleground, making it more fair for the first one of them to be left somewhere in the field. 

The temperature was lowering rapidly and Momo took out a red sweater she had packed, trying to stop the little trembling of her body. She was wearing some clothes that revealed great part of her skin, but it was her best choice considerating the nature of her Quirk. A white shirt, black skirt and long black stockings under also black leather flats was the attire she had selected.

Midoriya was sitting with her in the back, at her left, while All Might was driving, or at least trying: this amused them both to no end, considering how bad mages and spirits were with every mechanic thing on Earth, or technology in general. 

Both of them had been very nervious when getting on the van, but after some minutes passed they were calm enough so that Midoriya decided to start a conversation with her.

Maybe Momo had imagined it, but she observed that Midoriya and All Might exchanged a few glances with a subtle meaning she couldn't quite grasp, the moment the topic changed to the Heroic Spirits and summonings of Servants, a bit of tension at the mention of the last thing. 

Momo decided to change the direction of their questioning and was contented with talking about the other participants. Midoriya answered cheerfully and relaxed after that.

“I have known Jirou since we were eight, if that is what you are wondering” she said to answer his question about ‘how long have you two known each other?’ the moment they started talking about the other competitors. “And it looked like you knew Kirishima from before. Are you acquainted with him?”

“Oh, not really! We just meet there, I am… rather new to all of this, and he was very eager to know about us, being the first time involved too.”

“And what did you two talk about, may I ask?”

“Mmm, mostly about our wishes.” Momo stayed silent, letting him speak if he wanted to elaborate on that topic.

“It’s not my place to tell you his wish, but I admire his strength and determination! Mine is to protect others, like a Hero you could say. I don’t think my wish is inferior, but I also don’t want to fight against the wishes of others. That is why, I am feeling a bit… confused. I am against this, but I will fight until the end for sure! If it falls in the wrong hands…” Midoriya said very convinced, but started mumbling at the end, mostly to himself, even if Momo and All Might could still hear parts of what he was saying.

She didn’t know if Midoriya intended to say out loud the last part, but she found his ideals very honest, and decided to be honest, as well.

Midoriya apologized profusely for his outburst, saying it was a bad habit of his since he had memory. 

Momo started talking, anyways; feeling like she could trust him and could put him at ease by telling him her opinion on the matter. At that point and with them, she wasn't thinking if Midoriya would target her because of that or not “The restoration of my house’s name honor, that was my parents’ wish before they passed away. If I don’t win this time, the dignity of belonging to one of the Three Family Houses will disappear. But… even if that wish is, and I will take what you said, not inferior to others, I haven’t made it my own.” Midoriya was looking at her intently, with sympathy in his eyes.

“It’s not that I don’t have one. I just… haven’t decided it yet. That is why, I admire your views, and I am eager to meet my Heroic Spirit. Everyone situation is different, so I would like to understand what is actually the best for everyone here and in the other realm.” She finished with a small voice.

Her family status and the decay of her house wasn’t a secret, and she knew there were more selfish ways of putting it, but she felt a bit wrong saying it in that way.

But Midoriya just hummed in agreement and All Might, who had been silent since they started talking about it, intervened “Young Yaoyorozu, you might not realize it right now, but your perspective and ideals are that of a great mage and Master. I am sure your Heroic Spirit will be very glad to have you by their side. Give it time, and I am sure you will find your own path.”

It might have seemed like an exaggeration, but those very words wanted to make her eyes burst into tears. 

Because if there was something horrible for her, was not knowing what she desired and fought for. And she sometimes felt very misunderstood. But her grandmother along with Jirou had been a huge pillar in her life when she felt insecure and after her parents passed away, since she still loved them both deeply.

“All Might is right! Thank you for sharing it with us. We are both going to give our all and reach our wishes one way or another.” Midoriya said reassuringly with a blinding smile, and Momo was just thankful.

“And with the two wishes rule, we are not the only ones restless, aren’t we?” she added.

“Yes! I guess the Heroes are hungry for victory right now. I’m curious, and want to know them already.” he started mumbling again.

*  
*  
*

Momo was the first one to be left in her designated place: an abandoned house near the outskirts of the city. There were some tall buildings far away, in what she deduced had been the transited area of that place, and a forest that extended probably a few kilometers in the opposite direction. Her vision couldn’t quite catch the end of it.

When said the house was abandoned, it meant more inhabited rather than worn out or collapsed, since it was a two story building that looked very modern and new. The same thing applied to the infrastructure surrounding it.

She checked the time: 9.30PM. Only half an hour until everyone started with their respective spells, and she just had an hour and a half to make the preparations for the summoning. She decided to better hurry up, since the process for this specific ritual was very difficult and precise.

She entered the modern house and quickly inspected it, a bit uneasy, trying to find the best spot to start craving the runes for the seal. She found out that the house had a roomy basement, where she started moving stuff aside that might have belonged to the ones occupying the house before (she still doubted how they had made or found this desolated place).

After making enough space in the floor, she took out a book she carried with the specifics runes and took out of her backpack the jewel that will serve as a link between her world and the spiritual one. It was pale blue, smooth and very cold to the touch, maybe reaching the size of her palm.

She could feel the magical energy radiating from it, sensing it almost vibrating at her touch. It was the first time she did this while holding the item, so the sensation she was getting was very different from all her previous experiences while training before.

Momo placed it aside for a few minutes and finished craving the runes in a circle that translated into a call to Earth and Command Spells. The crystallization of that great magic will appear carved in a part of her body in the form of three holy marks that represented the control the Master had over a Servant, even if the Spirits were originally too powerful to be controlled by humans or had a lot of Independent Action. 

The authority of the Spell started functioning at the moment of the summoning, and granted the Master three absolute orders of unconditional obedience that can either restrain or reinforce the action of a Servant.

Regarding the contract, Momo had already decided that she will not resort to using the Command Spells if not necessary, as an emergency measure. She wanted to form a partnership and didn’t want to boss around anyone, even less making them do something they didn’t agreed to in the first place. She had heard stories about how mages used Command Spells against their own servants, and that wasn’t something she was very fond of.

There were no rules on how the contract was used, or how long it lasted, but the Servant was once a human too. And they will of course have goals of their own.

Just before she started her meditation, she sensed a new Heroic Spirit on Earth. She could feel the magical energy it leaked, like a little shock of electricity running through her arms, and while checking her watch she realized the battle had started, and that a certain someone was very skillful and eager to start.

*  
*  
*

Momo had meditated for near an hour, trying to strengthen her mana circuits and canalize her energy into the now freezing at touch stone, putting her hands on the ground just above the magic runes. Checking her clock, she decided it was time to start the ritual.

Standing up, and after so much effort and concentration very content with her work, she started reciting everything needed out loud, an habit she had acquired for the past years when it came to witchcraft. 

“Preparations, ready. Time, good. Wavelength, ideal.” Momo kept repeating while walking to the center of the circle she had drawn, carrying the stone in her right hand and extending her arm so that it was positioned right in the middle of her vision.

“By performing the summoning at 11PM, when my magic is at its peak, I will definitely be able to summon a Heroic Spirit”

She closed her eyes, and began to recite the chant that accompanied the spell, with a force in her voice that never wavered. 

“Heed my words. My will creates your body, and your power creates my destiny.” The circle started shimmering, emiting a blinding light Momo could sense even with her eyes closed. “If you heed the Grail’s call and obey my will and reason, then answer me.”

“I hereby swear, that I shall be all the good in the world. That I shall defeat all evil in the world.”

She kept going, even with more determination, more conviction, bringing her hand to her chest and ended the call with “come together, Ice and Fire, come forth, Guardian of the Innocents!”

…

After the incantation, everything was a mess. The force emitted, added to her sudden exhaustation, and the dirt that now covered all the air, Momo couldn’t help but fall to her knees and cough up a bit of dust and blood.

Even so, she was pretty proud of herself. After all, if she was even coughing blood, she couldn’t help but exclaim that she knew she had drawn a powerful Spirit. She really wanted to meet said person.

A silence and stillness a bit unnatural was followed by something that felt like an explotion, making her wary of the situation going on above ground. If it wasn’t the Spirit she summoned… she could be in trouble.

But it couldn’t be another one. She could feel the start of a magical connection that wasn’t there before, like if there was another mind wavering inside her skull, and decided to run upstairs to see what was happening, prepared for the worst just in case.

The door to the main living room in the house that connected with the basement was broken and with a swift quick she disposed of it and stumbled in the room, cursing under her breath. The temperature had unnaturally dropped, making her shiver non-stop.

She wasn’t expecting that turmoil, even if considering the figure she might had materialized into this world the outcome might had been predictable. Servants shouldn’t be something to be taken lightly, after all. They were more powerful and efficient that every human or machine even created. Their intrinsic nature far surpassing human abilities and their Quirks. 

And Momo sure wasn’t prepared completely to see a man casually sitting, seemingly without any worry, in the middle of that disaster: almost all the furniture was broken and glass shattered, probably something that the ritual’s impact had probably caused.

He seemed about the same age as her, around his early 20’s, wearing a black body armor that clung to his muscled body, consisting of a black tight and sleeveless shirt and black pants with two straps on his thighs, and above that armor a red coat that covered his arms but showed his upper torso and midriff. She could also see a red open cloth over his waist that ended above his shins. Black boots completed the attire.

He had his eyes closed, but Momo scanned quickly his face, which had a burn mark on his left side, and was framed by straight hair split in the middle between two different colours: white and red.

She had to admit he was very attractive and found his appearance and outfit pretty unique. Even so, she couldn’t quite recognize him as one of the newest Heroes, so he must be someone who lived and died at least a hundred years prior.

He opened his left eye, a light blue kind of colour, and examined Momo intently, a neutral expression on his face. The Hero quickly eyed the back of her hand, and she could feel the intensity of his gaze on where the three Command Spells were imprinted, three circles that were a visible proof of their contract. She was going to break the silence and ask who he was supposed to be, but he spoke first, “Seems I’ve been drawn by quite the unusual little Master” he stated, some disdain in his deep voice while uttering the word ‘Master’, spitting it like it was a sin being one.

Momo didn’t like one bit the way he phrased that, more than the words themselves. She didn’t want to start their partnership with the wrong foot.

At least, the Hero recognized her as his Master, and that was the first step in formalizing a contract with the summoned Servant: by acknowledging their respective roles. That is why she still asked while approaching cautiously “Just to make sure then, you are my Servant, right?”

“And you are my Master?” he said opening his other eye, and she noted he had heterochromatic eyes.

“I am simply making sure you are my partner, and no one else’s. The bond should be clearly laid out.” Even without his answer, Momo could already feel a link between the two, allowing her to support him with her magical energy.

“I agree, and I acknowledge you. How should I call you, Master?” he said warily while reincorporating himself from his position and standing up a bit closer, again with venom in his voice. She stood her ground even if she wanted unconsciously to step back when facing such a dominant presence. 

“Yaoyorozu Momo. And you?”

“Todoroki Shouto. May I ask, Master…”

“Please stop calling me that” she interrupted Todoroki, a bit of surprise in his expression “I don’t care about that honorific, and if it means you will talk to me like that, please stop. Yaoyorozu is fine.”

He simply nodded, and reformulated the question with less harshness “May I ask, Yaoyorozu, how you called me, and what is going to be your approach in this War?”

It was a sudden question, but she also wanted to ask some more to him, so the mage answered without missing a beat “I used this jewel, that was given by my family” she showed him the stone and even gave it to him, and continued while he was examining it closely “that is your anchor to this world. And regarding my approach, the rules had changed, did you know that?”

“Yes, word spread easily between the selected Heroic Spirits that were going to compete this time.” _So he knows the other Servants?_ She would had to ask him about that later.

“Ah, good then. Well… we just have to defeat the Servant of each team. There is no need to go on a killing spree… and since there are no witnesses, we can freely scout the city. Also we can think a strategy combining our Quirks. How does that sound?”

He looked at her in the eye while giving the stone back “Very well… I think you are worth of my loyalty.” Where those questions just to test her? “But, I have to warn you: even if I agree with you now, in the War to come, I will disregard anything you say.” he said defiantly “I will decide all battle policy.”

Momo just… sighed. She actually wanted to pull her hair in frustration. If Todoroki acknowledged her and they truly agreed about that, why was he so stubborn? “Why do you think that is a good idea? Isn’t it better to just work together?” 

“Work together?” he scoffed “I will obey you in form alone, but when fighting, I will call my own shots. You can just sit tight in the cellar and wait.”

Momo never lacked patience, but this time around she was very close to snapping. She didn’t know if she should feel angry or sad. But maybe there were reasons she couldn’t quite grasp for Todoroki to be saying that. Even so…

“I don’t understand why you are saying that and I don’t know anything about you, actually, but my victory is your victory, and I want us to win if that is your desire. I will support you in any way I can, and you can do that as well.”

“Then you will have to use a Command Seal to make me listen.” he turned and walked away while responding that. 

The air in the room got even colder, chill seeping through her clothes and reaching her core.

It pretty much meant, he expected her to waste one of three opportunities to strengthen their bond and magic, a UNIQUE opportunity, in just a discussion to make him do something he really didn’t wish to. And that is what Momo had promised not to do.

“I WON’T! I won’t use a Command Seal to make you do something you don’t really want to do. Just make your own decisions then, I am fighting in my way and I am definitely not going to lose. And I won’t make you lose, either. We can make our wishes a reality, without this pointless discussion. And like I said in my call: I swear I shall be good, and fight evil. You know what that means.” Momo exclaimed, staring at his back while inadvertently making more energy flow into the Servant through the Magical Paths they shared and connected them.

The Master has complete control over how much energy is granted, allowing them to have a hold over their servants actions: something Momo wasn’t planning on doing. 

It would either way be very difficult to do so, having in mind the Independent Action this Hero had.

Todoroki looked over his shoulder, rather stunned while feeling the Magical Path waver, while Momo continued “the only way I will use a Command Seal is to hold you back if you are planning to eat human souls to stock more energy or want to possess someone else’s body.”

“Even more: if you want to leave, you can do it. I will call another Hero, maybe that explosive type...”She continued but was interrupted suddenly.

“I wouldn’t do those things.” he sounded prideful but a bit offended “And you don’t really want to work with that one” Todoroki suggested quickly and faced her again, while reconsidering everything that she had said and done since they met.

He had participated in the 3rd War, and his Master was the most twisted, sadistic, and selfish person he had ever met. Using the Command Seals that bastard made him do things he still regretted until that day. And he had been wary when he decided to answer Yaoyorozu’s call and enter this event again. But there was a wish he needed to get. And maybe, with her help, he could reach that goal.

Maybe he was starting to become what he also promised he didn’t want to be, with that attitude. Masters and Servants share a deep mental connection, and Todoroki could sense that her words were sincere. He decided to lower his suspicions a little bit.

“I apologize”

“Excuse me?”

“I apologize for that and my poor manners. I take back what I said, if you really are keeping your promise. I still will fight in my way though, but we should strategize better and stay together. I am just… still a bit confused.” he admitted, head down.

Having a materialized physical body again and getting all his senses back, with even more accuracy than that of a normal mortal, made his head spin a bit even if Todoroki didn’t want to admit it. 

The intensity in his eyes made Momo believe in his words, and she said a bit defeated but relieved “Let’s just… talk somewhere else. This place is a mess.”

Todoroki just nodded and followed for once, without uttering any complain.

*  
*  
*  
Heroic Spirits are, as the name implies, heroes who achieved great deeds in life. Some of them became objects of worship after their deaths, while others just exist in legends and myths. They are beings of a higher existence, freed from the constraints of time and given a Quirk randomly, a special type of enchantment, even if they were normal humans and not mages while alive.

Momo knew it might be a sensible matter, not really knowing the details about Todoroki’s past life, but he alone chose to tell her about his Quirk at least, maybe sensing that she didn’t want to pry about it but wanted to formulate a strategy combining their Quirks and abilities. Or at least know what type of fighter he was.

However, the Servant was still quiet about his time as a human and the reason of his honorifics. He also mentioned very briefly that he had participated in a war before, something Momo wasn’t aware about.

She might had known a lot about history, but the people in the Grail Wars swore to keep every part about it a secret. They were forbidden to tell the world about what transpired in them.

Momo had already had told him about her Creation, so he started explaining: “My quirk is Ice magic.” he calmly did a demonstration on a wall near the door of the new room, that was a bit more peaceful and in order, touching it. A big part of the wall froze instantly “I can do some long range attacks too, depending on the energy I pour into it. However, I can only use it in my right side.”

At least now Momo understood the part about “Come together, Ice and Fire” in the ritual. She just supposed the fire part was because of his personality, since it wasn’t uncommon that those honorifics were made by humans and referred to more aspects that just their Quirks. He certainly didn’t seem like a person you would want to infuriate. Momo recognized that their argument from before left her with a bit of fear of him for a moment.

The barely noticeable frightened expression that had emerged on Yaoyorozu's face when they started arguing slightly pricked Todoroki’s chest.

She casually commented about the abnormal drop in temperature from before, and Todoroki confessed it was his fault, promising it wouldn’t happen again, even if Momo hadn’t actually complained about it.

While the Servant talked he was really composed and she could see his ethics on heroism show in the little things he did and the way he spoke. His mannerisms while relaxed were really pleasant to say the least. Momo had admired heroes since she had memory, and having someone who was possibly an important figure from the past made her still a bit excited and nervious.

They were both standing while just performing and showing off their abilities. Todoroki was pretty impressed with her Creation, and said that it could be very helpful in any situation given its nature. He also considered her ideas and planning very exceptional.

“Take my unknown identity as an advantage.” he had told her while excusing himself for not opening up about his past. It was the same thing she had said to Jirou while still in The Big Hall.

That time seemed like ages ago, after all that transpired. 

“And talking about the other competitors… have you sensed any bonding between Master and Servant? You sure know this, but us Spirits can’t really detect that kind of stuff.” Todoroki explained in a low voice. A Master that is providing magical energy to a Servant will ‘leak’ some of it in a volume that is easily detectable to most spell-casters. The leakage is distinctive; allowing a mage to determine a contract had been formed.

“Only one just after the start. It might be a very talented Master. But I can’t really know the level of the Servant with that alone.”

“I see. If we are the second team, that is good. I should tell you about the possible servants who are participating this time.” Todoroki started, a distinguishable accent gracing his voice. It was more evident for Momo right there, the longer sentences he spoke the better she could tell that it was unusual and actually it wasn’t heard before, so she assumed he must had retained it from his time while alive as a human. 

Momo just made a sound in acknowledgement. While recalling the energy she felt from the Magical Paths of the other mage, symbolizing the bond between Master and Servant, she couldn’t help but sit on the couch near a window (almost the only piece of furniture that wasn’t destroyed or upside down after the summoning, even in that room on the second floor), exhaustion overtaking her body, and stifling a yawn.

It was already 5AM and even if Todoroki didn’t want her to go and stand in the front lines during a fight directly she still was supplying him with constant life force, keeping him materialized and his stock of magic full. 

Even if he was stubborn and didn’t want to rely on it, there was only so much time and force he could retain while supplementing himself with his own energy unless he consumed a human soul or she used a Command Seal. 

Or at least that was the usual thing to happen: with this Spirit, she wasn’t so sure. He seemed capable of lasting weeks on his own supply.

Todoroki took notice of her state, contemplating Momo from his spot still by the wall, and sighed. He had decided from their previous discussion that she wanted the best for both of them and unlike his previous shitty Master, she had been able to endure the summoning without fainting and was still maintaining their bond strong, thus his powers pretty efficient too. 

He definitely had done wrong in taking her so lightly and looking down on her, like a clueless child. Yaoyorozu was really an outstanding mage.

Besides his duty of taking care of his Master, Todoroki had taken a little liking for Yaoyorozu and her moral views, and realized that deep down he had been unfair and had token an aggressive approach without really knowing what his new partner would be like that time around.

He lifted his weight from the wall and approached, crouching in front of Momo to catch her attention and stated, trying to make it sound like a suggestion more than like an order, even if he meant otherwise: “Yaoyorozu, you need some rest. We can worry about the other masters and servants soon, but it won’t work if you are this tired.” and added, for good measure “We agreed to fight together, right? Well, I will need your energy from the Paths. Come on.”

Momo looked at him startled and nodded. She wasn’t going to deny she was tired as hell, but before that she wondered “Is it true that Heroic Spirits don’t need sleep while on Earth? What if another team comes while we are resting? Maybe we should change locations before that, go to a more secluded place…”

Todoroki quirked an eyebrow and looked at her in a strange way: Momo couldn’t determine if it meant surprise, _‘don’t be stupid’_ or amusement at her curiosity, maybe the three of them. But he answered, softer than before “We servants don’t need to sleep, so I will watch over the place. I can’t keep an eye on the others bonds, only a Master can do that, but no one will disturb us tonight if you stop supplying me for a few hours. They won’t be able to detect our presence.”

“Are you going to be okay without the energy from the Paths?”

“I will.”

Momo not only trusted Todoroki and his judgment, but she actually felt much drained: from meeting all the participants and mediators, to the summoning, and the discussion with the Servant, she didn’t find the energy to keep up. Not for tonight, at least.

She looked at him in the eye, since he was still squatting down in front of her, looking intently and waiting for an answer, and replied “Okay… Just… wake me up if anything happens. Remember our pact: no going out there without at least informing one another.”

Todoroki nodded in agreement and stood up, going to sit by the window frame, his face neutral while scanning the city before his eyes, trying to look for something that the human eye wouldn’t be able to see in that cold night. 

He shuddered a bit when he felt the connection with his Master narrow until only a little amount of intensity remained, signalizing that he was still bounded to Earth even when Momo was out cold in the couch already, her features relaxed and hair spraying out against the cushion. It looked that was the only thing she was able to do before passing out, because her clothes remained the same, the skirt she was wearing moving up and revealing a bit more of skin than it should.

Todoroki shook his head and just keep his eyes away, looking at the dark landscape outlined outside, and remembering a bit of everything that involved and what it felt to be back on Earth, with a tingle of nostalgia in his heart.

**Author's Note:**

> _Next chapter: Masters and Servants share such a deep mental connection, that it is possible to see visions of each other’s pasts in the form of dreams. Two teams clash and a person that shouldn’t be in that place is spotted while scouting the city._
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> Thanks for reading! I still haven’t decided all of the partnerships though… But most of the Heroes’ lives while humans are determined.  
> Kudos or comments/constructive criticism/suggestions about things you would like to see in the future are highly appreciated!


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